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Dricus du Plessis submits Israel Adesanya, full fight highlights, Kai Kara-France knocks out Steve Erceg, video, full fight card results, Tai Tuivasa scorecard

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South African middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis has defended his belt against superstar Israel Adesanya, winning by submission in front of a raucous Perth crowd.

Du Plessis has now beat three challengers, with Robert Whittaker, Sean Strickland and now Adesanya unable to strip him of the title.

Adesanya looked on the verge of finishing the fight as du Plessis appeared to tire in the third and fourth rounds, with the challenger continually getting through with big shots.

But du Plessis, as he has already done before, still had enough energy in the tank to outlast his rival, hurting Adesanya with a right hand and then landing a trio of shots before taking his back.

Du Plessis was swift to then lock in the rear-naked choke and forced Adesanya to tap, securing a dramatic title defence.

UFC 305 LIVE FROM PERTH: DU PLESSIS VS ADESANYA | SUN 18 AUG 12PM AEST | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports. Main Event on Kayo Sports and Foxtel is the exclusive home of UFC Pay-Per-View.

Du Plessis v Adesanya: Fight Highlights | 02:52

Speaking to Daniel Cormier after the fight, du Plessi was full of praise for Adesanya in a stark contrast to scenes earlier in the week that saw him brought to tears at their joint press conference.

“I mean obviously I always knew I was in trouble fighting one of the, if not the greatest strikers ever in this division,” du Plessis said.

“I need that take down, got the take down. At this level it’s hard to keep people down and this man is the kind of getting back up.

“Nobody can take him down and keep him there… ultimately I believe this fight was won on the feet.

“Like I said, I’m alive right now, that’s just a bonus, I came in here to die for this belt and I came in here to take a life, lukily tonight we didn’t have to do either of these things.”

Du Plessis also hailed the crowd, saying “thank you Perth, this was the most amazing crowd I have ever fought in front of”.

Following the fight, du Plessis and Adesanya also shared a moment and spoke together, with Cormier asking what was said between the pair after a fiery build-up to this bout.

“To share this octagon with a legend, not potentially, 100 per cent hall of famer, this man has done so much for this sport,”

“And I’m really sorry that it came across that I disrespected the fact he’s from Africa and it was never my intention.

“Tonight Africa would have won regardless, but tonight South Africa was the victor and it was an honour for me to share this cage with a legend like that.

“I have the utmost respect for him, warrior to warrior, believe me I do not want to be kicked by the man again.

“Izzy, if you decide to retire tonight, thank you.”

Adesanya, meanwhile, admitted “he didn’t think this far” when asked what the future holds for him in the UFC.

“I’m not f****** leaving, I’m not f****** leaving,” he said.

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KARA-FRANCE’S ‘HUGE KNOCKOUT’ TO DEFEAT AUSSIE STAR

Kiwi Kai Kara-France has delivered a striking masterclass, beating Australian Steve Erceg with a “huge knockout”.

His assault began with an overhand left before laying down a barrage of punches. Erceg was able to get back on his feet but Kara-France was quick to put him on the ground again, this time with a brutal right hand that forced the referee Rich Mitchell to step in.

That win marks his 13th first round knockout, and will likely give him an opportunity to fight for the title in the near-future.

“How’d you guys like that Perth? Man, firstly, hats off to Steve, he’s a gentlemen and he’s the man,” Kara-France said.

“Just to get back here, a year ago I had to take time away. Time to re-evaluate, reflect and balance all my other priorities.”

UFC legend Daniel Cormier then said: “You are a flyweight, you are not supposed to have 13 first round finishes, how are you knocking people out like that in this weight class?”

To which Kara-France replied: “It’s because I’m Maori bro, that’s why”.

He then asked the crowd who they want to see him fight next and suggested an opportunity to fight for the title was looming, currently ranked No.4.

Erceg, meanwhile, has now lost his last two fights having also gone down to Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 301.

Kai VICIOUSLY shuts off Erceg’s lights | 00:44

BRAZILAN STAR IS AN ‘ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE!

Carlos Prates has kicked off the main card at UFC 305 in style, dropping Li Jingliang in a thrilling welterweight fight to put his name forward for the $50,000 performance of the night bonus.

Prates dropped Li momentarily with a straight left hand that left his rival stunned, although not for long as the Chinese fighter came firing back with a few big shots of his own to close out an action-packed first round.

Prates scored an early knockdown in the second round as he patiently hunted the finish, first landing a pair of left hands and then a looping left before two brutal hook shots knocked Li out cold.

It was the first time the ‘Leech’ had been stopped in his UFC career.

“He made that look easy,” Dominick Cruz said in commentary, with Daniel Cormier adding it was a “crazy” finish.

“That dude is an absolute nightmare,” added Jon Anik.

Carlos Prates produced the finish.Source: FOX SPORTS

AUSSIE TUIVASA SUFFERS DEFEAT AMID ‘WORST SCORECARD IN HISTORY

Elsewhere, Tai Tuivasa went down in a split decision defeat (29-28, 30-27, 27-30) to No. 12 ranked contender Jairzinho Rozenstruik following a bizarre scorecard from one of the judges.

Rozenstruik appeared to have done enough for a unanimous decision victory but instead one judge, Howie Booth, scored it 30-27 in Tuivasa’s favour.

Subsequently, Booth was pulled from judging the co-main event.

Rozenstruik looked on the verge of getting the finish in the second round, landing a brutal right hand at one point and following it up with a knee to the body.

The hits kept coming too, with Rozenstruik again getting through with the knee and then a left hand and an uppercut, although Tuivasa just continued to eat every shot that came his way while firing a few of his own back.

Still, entering the final 30 seconds of the second round, Rozenstruik had out-landed Tuivasa 49-13 on significant strikes, leaving the Australian needing a finish to be any chance of winning.

Tuivasa landed his big shot of the bout in the final 10 seconds of the last round but it didn’t bother Rozenstruik much anyway, with the Surinamese fighter taking a dominant victory.

HOOKER’S HUGE TOP FIVE VICTORY

Kiwi lightweight star Dan Hooker has defeated No.5 ranked fighter Mateusz Gamrot, marking his third victory in-a-row.

Gamrot was heavily tipped to come away with the win, but in brutal fashion, Hooker dismantled the Polish star.

The judges scored the fight 29-28 x2, 28-29, with Hooker continually walking Gamrot down before keeping the pressure high throughout the three rounds.

His wrestling defence was also impressive, stopping Gamrot’s attempts at several takedowns.

Laughing and cheering after he had his hand raised, an animated Hooker was asked who he wants to step into the octagon with next.

“How you like me now? How you like me now?” he said.

“I don’t think I fought that well, but you get in the fight and get your hand raised, that’s all that counts.

“I’m tougher than all them, I know I can walk down any man in this world…. I want em all, I want the BMF, I want Connor McGregor, I want it all.”

Dan Hooker’s hand is raised for a well deserved win.Source: FOX SPORTS

CONTROVERSY AS JUSTIN TAFA SLAPS RIVAL AFTER DEFEAT

Brisbane’s Junior Tafa was fuming after a dramatic submission defeat to Valter Walker, slapping his opponent in a fiery finish to their heavyweight scrap.

Walker got the finish with a kneebar in the dying stages of the first round, with only three seconds left on the clock as the referee stepped in after Tafa appeared to yell in pain.

But Tafa got up immediately protesting the call, with the referee seeming to have taken his scream as a verbal form of tapping out.

“I don’t know why he’s mad… if he verbally tapped,” Cormier said in commentary.

“Oh my goodness, he didn’t tap. He yelled. He verbally screamed.”

Tafa was still visibly upset as he approached Walker in the octagon after the result, getting in his face and then slapping him as the pair were separated.

Walker said in his post-fight press conference that he wants Tafa’s brother Justin next.

Aussie rages after UFC tap controversy | 00:48

According to the Unified Rules of MMA, the referee was right to stop the fight with a verbal tap out including when a fighter “makes audible sounds such as screams indicating pain or discomfort”.

You can read more about Tafa’s fight here.

EMOTIONAL O’NEILL ‘HAPPIER THAN EVER’ AFTER MUCH-NEEDED WIN

Casey O’Neill continued Australia’s strong start to the card as she claimed a unanimous decision victory (30-27 x2 30-26) over Luana Santos.

It was her first win since February 2022, with an emotional O’Neill telling Main Event’s Niko Pajarillo after the fight that she felt like she was suffering an “identity crisis” after back-to-back losses.

“That felt so good,” O’Neill said.

“I think only fighters understand really what it feels like coming off a two-fight loss. It is more than just a bad day at work. It is like an identity crisis. You have to go back and make sure you’re secure in yourself and everything. It takes a lot of work. I’m grateful all the work paid off tonight.

“Honestly, I know people have a lot harder lives than me, but it was probably one of the harder things I’ve ever had to do. Sorry, I’m really emotional because this meant so much to me.

“I gave up a lot this time. I’ve been here before. I’ve done this before. I knew it was going to take a lot. I knew everyone was counting me out… I sound like a cry-baby right now but it was really hard. But I’m very grateful and I’m very proud of myself. I’m happier than ever.”

Casey O’Neill was very emotional.Source: FOX SPORTS

ROCKY START FOR AUSSIES… BUT EMPHATIC WINS FOLLOW

Australia endured a tough start to the blockbuster UFC 305 event, with Redcliffe flyweight Stewart Nicoll choked unconscious in the first fight of the day.

Walking to the Octagon around 6.30am for his UFC debut – and on a card stacked with Aussies like Tai Tuivasa, Steve Erceg and Jack Jenkins — Nicoll started strongly against Mexico’s Jesus Aguilar until, midway through the round, he was caught in a nasty guillotine choke.

The Queenslander eventually went unconscious, with the referee waving things as Aguilar quickly jumped to his feet, grabbed his rivals legs and lifted them slightly to help wake him up.

While Nicoll took a few minutes to come to, he quickly regained his feet to congratulate the Mexican for a finish which came just 2min 39sec into proceedings.

Aussie brutally choked in opening bout | 00:28

It wasn’t all bad news for Australia though, with Tom Nolan continuing his exciting rise in the UFC lightweight division, overcoming an illegal knee while grounded to score a convincing win over American Alex Reyes.

Despite being kneed while grounded in the first round – which saw the fight paused and Reyes warned — Nolan recovered strongly to drop his rival in the second and almost submit him midway through the third.

The Brisbane fighter dubbed ‘Big Train’ eventually took the win on all three judges’ scorecards, 30-27, 30-37 and 329-28.

A product of Dana White’s Contender series, Nolan suffered a shock loss in his UFC debut but has since responding strongly with consecutive wins over Victor Martinez and Reyes.

Tom Nolan won his fight. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

The finishes kept coming as Australian Jack Jenkins secured a third-round TKO victory over Herbert Burns.

Jenkins, who suffered a nasty arm injury in a loss to Jose Mariscal at UFC 293, bounced back in a big way as he dominated the opening stages of the first round, landing at will against Burns.

Burns wasn’t offering much in return, although he scored a late takedown to maintain ground control in the final minute of the round.

Still, it was Jenkins who looked the most likely to get the finish on Sunday and that proved to be the case as he dropped Burns midway through the third round to get the TKO victory.

Having peppered away at Burns’ calf all fight, Jenkins went back there again and got the Brazilian off balance before dropping him with a perfectly-executed combination.

Jenkins then swarmed Burns on the ground with a series of strikes, with his opponent unable to get back up as the referee stepped in to call an end to the fight.

Jack Jenkins celebrates his win. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)Source: Getty Images

CULIBAO’S GREAT ESCAPE… AND REGRET?

Meanwhile, it was heartbreak for Sydneysider Josh Culibao as he suffered a split decision defeat to Ricardo Ramos.

Culibao hurt Ramos with a leg kick midway through the first round but rushed as he looked to capitalise on his clearly compromised opponent, slipping and being taken to the ground.

Ramos got his back and then locked in an incredibly deep rear naked choke. Culibao was somehow able to escape – not once but twice with incredible submission defence.

“You could see his eyes getting red from the squeeze,” Cormier said in commentary.

The fight went to a second round, although Culibao had even more problems to deal with as a welt started to form on his lead leg.

Culibao though had the first big moment of the round as he landed a counter right hand and then dropped Ramos with a calf kick, landing a few brutal shots on his opponent who was refusing to get up.

That leg of Ramos was starting to be a serious problem for the Brazilian, who made it to the third round and was able to avoid sustaining any more serious damage.

In fact, Ramos took Culibao down in the latter stages of the round to at least give himself a chance on the judges’ scorecards and it ended up being enough.

Jon Anik noted Culibao looked “stunned” as Ramos claimed the fight via split decision 29-28 x2, 28-29, with the Australian perhaps being too complacent in the third round and made to pay.

Culibao SOMEHOW escapes choke from hell | 00:45

DOMINANT DECISION WIN FOR KENAN

Elsewhere, China’s Song Kenan has scored a brutal decision win in the second fight of UFC 305, leaving American Ricky Glenn with a nasty cut under his left eye and giant lump on the right side of his forehead.

While it was Glenn who landed the first big shot of the fight, dropping Kenan with a big left hand early in the first, the Chinese welterweight quickly recovered to win all three rounds on the judges’ scorecards.

So badly was Glenn cut under the eye, a doctor was called into the Octagon with under 30 seconds to go in the fight to assess the injury.

Eventually, the American was allowed to continue, with the final scorecards reading 30-27, 30-26 and 29-28.